Finding the calm in the storm.
Take a moment to settle in.
You might be sitting upright,
Supported by a chair,
Or resting back or lying down.
Choose what feels most comfortable and accessible for your body today.
Let your hands rest where they feel at ease.
If it's comfortable,
Allow your eyes to close.
If not,
Soften your gaze on a single point in front of you.
Now this is your permission to pause.
Nothing to fix,
Nothing to perform,
Just giving your nervous system a little space.
Take a slow breath in through your nose,
And a gentle breath out through your mouth.
Do that twice more,
In your own time.
Now let your breath return to a natural rhythm.
Simply notice that you're here,
Listening and breathing.
That in itself is enough.
So we'll start by orienting.
This helps the nervous system feel a little safer and a little more settled.
If your eyes are closed,
You can open them softly for a moment,
And gently look at the space you're in.
Turn your head slightly side to side,
As if you're slowly saying no.
Now notice three things that you can see.
They don't have to be special,
Just a shadow on the wall,
A mark on the floor,
A piece of furniture.
Just name them silently in your mind.
Now notice three things you can hear.
Sounds close by,
Sounds further away.
No need to label them as good or bad,
Just noticing.
If you like,
You can close your eyes again now.
Bring your attention down to the points of contact between your body and the support beneath you.
Feel the weight of your body.
You don't have to hold yourself together all the time.
Something's holding you.
If it feels helpful,
You might say quietly,
I am here,
I am supported,
I am safe enough in this moment.
Now we'll invite your breath to become a little steadier.
First,
Just notice how you're breathing right now.
Is the breath high in your chest?
Or is it lower in your belly?
Is it smooth?
Or is it a bit jumpy and uneven?
No judgement,
Just observation.
Now we're going to work with a gentle lengthening of the exhale.
If these numbers are stressful,
Ignore them and just let the out-breath be a little bit longer than the in-breath.
If it feels okay,
We're breathing in for the count of four.
And breathing out for the count of six.
So in for one,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Out for one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Now continue at your own pace.
If the breath feels strained or uncomfortable at any point,
Stop the counting.
Just return it to an easy natural breath.
You can stay with the idea of the slightly longer exhale or even let the breath do its own thing.
As you continue,
Imagine the breath as a gentle wave.
In-breath arrives.
Out-breath washes away some of the tension and some of the noise of the day.
Now let go of the counting if you've not done already.
Simply feel the natural flow of your breathing.
Riding the wave rather than trying to control the sea.
So life brings storms.
Sometimes they show up as an anxiety in the chest,
A tight jaw or a churning stomach.
Sometimes they're spinning thoughts or a low heavy fog.
We're not trying to get rid of the storm.
We're learning how to stand in it with a little more steadiness.
Bring your attention to your body from the inside.
Notice your face and jaw.
Is there tension there?
If it feels safe,
Soften around the eyes,
The mouth,
The tongue resting in the mouth.
Move your awareness down into your throat,
In your chest.
You might feel some space there or tightness or nothing much at all.
If you notice any sensation,
Just quietly name it in your mind.
Tight,
Warm,
Fluttering,
Empty.
Sensing rather than judging.
Now notice your belly.
Many of us hold our storms here.
Again,
No need to change anything.
If you like,
Place one hand over your chest and one over your belly.
Feel the warmth and weight of your own hands.
This is a simple nervous system practice.
The body often reads this as a sign of safety and care.
If emotions are present,
You don't need to push them away.
Just imagine you're saying to them,
I see you,
You're allowed to be there,
And I'm learning to hold you more gently.
Let the breath continue to move in its own way.
Now bring to mind a time you went through something difficult,
But you came out the other side.
It doesn't have to be dramatic.
It might be something very simple,
But meaningful.
See if you can remember what helped you get through.
What qualities showed up in you?
Patience,
Courage,
Humour,
Kindness.
Those qualities are not gone.
They live inside you still,
Even if they feel far away in this moment.
On your next few breaths,
Imagine breathing in one of those qualities.
Maybe you breathe in strength,
Or steady,
Or kindness towards myself.
In-breath,
Drawing it in.
Out-breath,
Letting it spread through your body.
Now bring your attention to the space behind your forehead.
The area of the mind.
Thoughts might be swirling like wind,
Like rain in a window,
But instead of trying to stop them,
Imagine you're stepping just a little bit back from them.
You are the observer,
And you're sitting inside a quiet room,
Watching the weather through the window of the mind.
Thoughts come.
Thoughts go.
Storms roll through.
And there's also this steady awareness that notices them.
And this awareness is part of your inner clarity.
It doesn't shout.
It's the calm centre.
The still exists,
Even when life feels loud.
You might say silently,
Storms can move through me.
I do not have to become the storm.
Begin to feel the support beneath you again.
The weight of your body.
The contact of your feet or legs.
Your back,
Your hands.
Take a slightly deeper breath in,
And a long gentle breath out.
Notice how you feel now,
Compared to at the start.
Nothing dramatic is required.
Even just 1% shift towards calm is still steady,
Gentle progress.
If you like,
Place both hands over your heart,
Or somewhere else that feels reassuring for you.
Offer yourself a simple phrase.
Thank you for getting me this far.
Or,
I'm learning to find calm in the storm.
When you're ready,
Begin to invite small movements into the fingers and toes.
Maybe a gentle roll of the shoulders.
A soft stretch,
If that feels good.
If your eyes have been closed,
Let a little light back in slowly.
Just take your time.
Carry this sense of inner steadiness with you into the next part of your day.
Remember that your nervous system can learn.
You can come back to this practice whenever you need a reminder that the calm is still here,
Even when the storm is loud.
Thank you for practicing with me today.
.
